Kokoro wa Nani Desuka?
by Ulquiorra D. Cifer
Summary: What is this thing we call a heart? Do the truth and ideals of a priest and a scientist have to be in constant conflict? The miracle robot may be the only answer.
1. Chapter 1: What is a Heart?

What is this thing we call a heart? Many people might answer: It pumps blood throughout our entire body and keeps us alive for a finite amount of time. Others might say: Where our emotions come from and the ability to love and to hate. None of us live forever and everything that has started will end. This is irrefutable. The possession of a heart gives us life physically and emotionally. Knowing this people still pray to the one they call God while others search for the answer in science. But, the truth and our ideals don't have to be separated by black and white. Our heart brings them together and a unity called wonder is formed.

The gavel pounded and the sound rang louder than anything throughout the courtroom. People sat and heard the verdict. Some could not believe their ears while others prayed their grateful hearts out in joy. The judge was clear in his words.

"Kagakusha Len, you are found guilty of trying to replicate a human, one of God's greatest creations, and charged with the3 crime of heresy. The highest ranking priest of the Shuukyou Cathedral will determine your punishment." The entire courtroom went alive with shouts of joy and screaming for the heretical scientist to repent before God. Len could not see the faces of all who shunned him. He didn't need to. All he wanted was to speak up for himself and not be held in contempt like he was.

"Is it really so bad to question ourselves?", thought the scientist with his head down. The priest then came to where the judge was sitting. This man was a true man of his own religion. He would not hear anything different from what he thought was right.

"I, the highest priest from Shuukyou Cathedral, Shisai Kaito, condemn thee to banishment from the kingdom of Rounsou". For a man on the brink of bringing about a solution to the many mysteries of the world, this was a judgment far worse than death. What if he did come up with something significant? He has had and will have no one to reveal it to. Guards cuffed him from behind and lead him out of the court. It was the longest walk for Len, it would be the last time he ever saw anybody. He was only 14 and he was blessed with the mind of Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking put together. Now it all meant nothing. His laboratory was far outside the kingdom and surrounded by many hills so that it seemed like a crater. The guards took him out through the gates and shoved him to the ground and uncuffed him.

"A fitting fate for one destined to burn alone, hehehe". They went back inside and closed the gate giving Len his last look of where he could never go again. He had an ache in his heart as he remembered all f his friends. He remembered what his father had said to him before he went to fight a war that he would die in.

"Son, they make take my limbs, my identity, and my happiness which is you but they will never take my ideals. I will always love you, no amount of bloodshed or punishment will change my mind". Len kept this in his head as he clutched his chest. They could not take way from who he was. The only feeling he had now was the "what-if" question of what if his research was completed. What if he finished making his human and created an actual loving heart, one that could beat and give life to their mind which would give love and feeling back to it. The grass swayed to and fro in the night's cool shade of wind. His laboratory, even though with paint chipped of in some parts, looked like he had just built it. It's best to look at everything you have in a positive way. He went inside and looked at his unfinished creation. It looked like an angel. The creation was floating in a giant tube of some unknown liquid and had wires connecting it's chest to a computer screen. On the screen one could see all of its body and information. It was zoomed in on "kokoro" and read 0%. Len went up to the tube and cried while banging on it. Frustration. When something is just a whim away but one's will is not strong enough. He decided that he would have her started in the morning regardless of the heart. He went to his sleeping chamber and looked at his calendar. This month had a cute puppy in a tea cup alongside some cookies so he knew it was December.

"Christmas Eve huh". He knew this year just like many others he would spend it alone. He went to sleep to the sound of his own heartbeat. He had this recurring dream of an event that he would dare never forget.

It was an early morning and he was making breakfast for him and his mom. When he went past the dirty and near-broken hall to the only bedroom in his house he saw his mom just lying there. He was extremely groggy and didn't notice that her chest was not contracting like it normally should. He only shoved her gently and expected her to wake up. Nothing. When the doctors came they confirmed her death due to a heart attack. He desperately taught himself everything he could know about biology and the study of life. The Cathedral would not permit it. Shisai Kaito was the same person he was when he banished Len.

"And so it is God's will for your mother to perish, I assure you she is now in the kingdom of heaven". Len cried and cried, he was only 6. All of his efforts wasted when he could most likely bring his mother back.

"What makes him God?! Why should I suffer because of 'God's will'?! To the very same hell you teach me about with his mysterious ways!" he was almost banished then because of that. He was too young though. Now he got what was coming to him.

What makes it a sin to create a heart? Why do humans fear questioning themselves? Are they afraid that deep down they'll discover an imperfect being? Why if for centuries love has existed we can still not understand it? There's more to life than a bunch of cells and there's more to a divine presence than "right and wrong". Why are we so afraid of ourselves?


	2. Chapter 2: The Miracle Robot!

**Author's Note: First I'd like to thank Tsuki-shining09 for some wonderful help and advice. Also if you haven't read Tsuki's fanfiction, you suck. Just kidding but it is a must-read.**

**Disclaimer: All credit and rights to Vocloid belong to their respective owners and are in no way owned by or affiliated with me.**

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Christmas, a time where kids forget all that they have and ask for more. A time where couples get together and express their love. Our "hearts" fill with joy and we wish for the best of the next year. It doesn't matter who you are or what you believe in, you always want a better future. You _want it. _Never does that mean it will come to you.

The laboratory outside the kingdom of Rounsou was quiet but not in any way eerie. The snow covered everything in an arctic blanket that wasn't at an elevated level. Inside the homes of the citizens of Rounsou there was the happiness of children running downstairs to remove the wrapping from their toys and having their parents watch them with the hugest grins. A cloud of smoke formed above every home for every house had a fire in the hearth to protect them from the winter's harshness. There was, however, one place where the pitter patter of tiny feet where not heard. The priest, Shisai Kaito's house was filled with the solemn sobs of a lonely woman.

"My dearest, why must you cry? It is the birthday of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Why are not we dancing and making joy or better yet praying?" Kaito's attempts at the consolation of his wife, Shisai Miku, were futile. The house was quiet and cold. A man who suffers in the name of God is a follower of Christ. There was no fire to keep them warm. They were both huddled together on a bed for warmth but the she pushed him away implying that she would rather freeze to death than be in his presence.

"It is the second Christmas where we have had no children to make happy! Why must we continue to stay virgins and not truly show our love with the birth of our very own child?!" Miku let out a shriek of pain that came from only one place, her heart. Priest are not allowed to have children for that would require…-well you know. However, PMS still applies. They are allowed to have the same relationship with someone else as they do with God. Kaito knew this and so did his wife but she could not accept her future of being a woman but not a mother. The priest was not used to comforting people but instead telling them to repent, however he managed to hug her back into his loving arms and soothe her crying. It was at this time that she remembered the trial that took place yesterday. This recollection put Miku in an even more sorrowful mood.

"What is it now, my beautiful rosary?", he said still embracing her. The priest's home was atop the cathedral on the highest point in the Rounsou kingdom. There a man could see anything for hundreds of miles. She got up, much to the surprise of Kaito, and went to the window, undid the curtains, and touched the glass focusing on the laboratory where Kagakusha Len now was destined to spend the rest of his days.

"Bring him back." The holy man was confused at his wife's words.

"If we, a married couple on the road to nowhere, are to spend Christmas together, then a young boy, only fourteen, should spend his holiday season in a warm home and not in that cold laboratory." Miku's words echoed across the entire cathedral with such conviction that Kaito was fully awake now. He knew that taking back a verdict would result in great embarrassment and even an impeachment.

"The heretic stays outside the fruits of civilization and happiness. There is no reason why he should be allowed back in when he questions the very existence of God." He looked off in a stray direction. There was hesitance in his words. The super scientist was but a child and he full well knew this. Despite this, he still banished him and left him to die on Christmas Eve.

"Now! Kaito! If you will not give me a child then at the very least save him!" She looked at him as she had never before. The priest got up, put on his coat, and got his crucifix. It had diamonds outlining it and it had a gold lining with a chrome finish. It shone even in the dim lighting of their home.

"I will gladly accept someone who repents, if he does then he re-earns my respect." With this his wife stopped her sobbing and gave him a cute kiss on the cheek with full and loving eyes. He went off to Kagakusha Len's new residence.

Inside the laboratory was an entirely different world from inside the walls of Rounsou. Various machines served up a scientist's breakfast of coffee and toast automatically. When the toast popped out of the toaster with a loud "ding" Len woke up immediately.

"A-are your systems operfashunel…" He was extremely groggy and cold but it ws clear he was dreaming about project R.I.N which would today commence. He walked past the library he had filled with books about the study of machines and past the room filled with papers relating to the anatomy of a human. Inside the kitchen he took his toast and his coffee and went into the main room where a couch and several presents around a Christmas tree rest. One particular thing stood out. A sakura tree sapling in a pot was a fish out of water along with all the other Christmas decor that covered all of the computers and flashing lights displaying information about what is to come. She was dressed up like any other teenage girl but had the appearance of an angel. Her emotionless face glowed with all the different flashing lights around the Christmas tree. He looked at her in her still but stunning presence. She was easily comparable to an ice sculpture.

"Open your eyes, miracle robot!" Anxiously, the blonde scientist commanded his creation. She opened her eyes and he looked into them. Binary number, when looked at closely, could be seen running through her eyes. No emotion. No life. No heart. At first Len did not notice this and scrambled in nervousness while blushing crazily. He stretched out his hand, gestring a handshake.

" H-hello!" He had the excitement of a kid starting a new videogame on Christmas. The robot gave no response but looked at him with what would be the very best poker face. His smile went away along with his blush.

"Do…do you know who I am?" Len inquired the new born. It seemed like forever but he finally got a response.

"Kagakusha Len; Age: fourteen; Position: Scientist; Listed as 'My Creator'", She said in a voice that had no imperfections and that gave no idea of how she felt. He knew immediately what was missing from the grace of the artificial life form.

"Look! Look! See this?" The scientist picked up his genetically engineered sakura sapling and showed it to her. Even though he still got no emotional response he smiled. He had created a life. Or had he? Still missing from it was the most important thing. The heart.

Just then he heard a knock on his door. The robot had a faster reaction than he did and looked in the direction of the sound. Len's heart raced for he had never had a visitor come to him, especially not in his laboratory which was by now, he thought, hidden by snow. He slowly walked to his door cautiously as if any step he took could kill him. The robot followed him with normal, unchanging footsteps. He opened the door.

"Kagakusha Len! I come here in the name of God! Come, come back and become holy and pure under the kingdom of Rounsou! It is entirely your decision to stay and suffer in your so-called 'sciences' or to bask in the truth!" Kaito stood with menacing honor at the laboratory's entrance. Immediately, Len knew this was his chance to be around people again. The priest saw this and continued.

"Choose now, and have your life changed for the better or worse!"


	3. Chapter 3: Make a wish!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the rights to the characters portrayed or to Vocaloid. all rights belong to their respective owners.

**Author's**** Note:** This seems to be coming to a close. If any of you guys have suggestions for a new fanfic, I'd love to hear them. I'm crossed between what I should do next lol. Either way please enjoy.

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Kaito looked straight through Len's upright posture and at his fear. When the only response was nothing, he took out his magnificent crucifix and shoved it near his face. It seemed like a long time before the scientist spoke and it was clear due to the fact that a pile of snow was beginning to form on the Priest's shoulders.

"Shisai Kaito-sama…I was not expecting this." Len strayed his vision while trying to change his position so that he wouldn't see the miracle robot- or in a priest's eyes: a heretical act of the devil. His attempts were futile and Kaito saw over his shoulders and at the robot.

"What, what is this!?" Kaito proceeded to take out a small knife normally used for "self-defense".

"Haha..i-it is n-nothing Kaito-sama, just a mere robot with no biological properties!" The nervous scientist backed up to protect his creation.

"Then it, of course, wouldn't bleed now would it?" He pushed the scientist aside with great force and stabbed the robot in the arm. The second the knife penetrated the fragile skin of the miracle robot it started to bleed _like a real human._ "Ahah!" The "holy man" wound his hand up to stab the cyborg with one last fatal blow but at the last second Len stepped in and took the blow from the knife. The robot, still emotionless, took a look at the fatal wound near the scientist's heart.

"Do you require medical assistance?" She motioned to get in front of him but Len shoved her aside. Not out of anger, but fear. He stood up straight and pain-stakingly took the knife out of his chest and gave it back to Kaito.

"Please, leave my property now." Len's eyes were beginning to lose their light blue color, but he still kept the eye contact with the Priest. He shut the door with a loud metal "clunk" and made his way to the first-aid kit located in his equipment room. Before he even took one step he fell to his knees and blacked out.

Len woke up to the sight of Rin hovering over him. He was in his normal bed near his super computer.

"You are now awake, Kagakusha Len" She looked at his wound then back at his eyes. He saw the binary code running across her eyes. Even through all the zero's and one's he saw himself in there and how bad he looked. He extended his hand to her chest…not there perverts. He knew than that she was missing the most important part. He felt so stupid, it was right in front of his eyes the entire time. The heart.

"Is something wrong" Her voice never changed tone. He then noticed that she had a bandage around where she was stabbed. The blonde scientist rubbed his forehead and ran his hand through his hair. He didn't want to remember.

"Rin, would you mind reading today's log?" He looked to her who was abput to go to the kitchen to prepare some food.

"Log entry #1: I woke up to the sight of my creator. Loud knocks on the door lead to the stained medical condition of me and my creator. Creator fades from consciences. Crucifix holding perpetrator kicks down door. He looks to my master and kneels down putting his hands together and closing his eyes. Apologizes to "God". Said perpetrator leaves. Proceed to medically assist both my creator and me." Her head was awkwardly turned due to the fact that her body did not change position. Len was astonished. Did Shisai Kaito, the man who condemned and stabbed him in his own home actually pray for him? He decided not to think anything else of it. He looked across the hall and at the sakura sapling. If he didn't plant it soon it would likely die. His view of the plant was blocked by an oncoming Rin bringing him some tea.

"Could you answer me something?" Len looked at his tea as if we would ask nothing important.

"Yes, creator" Her empty eyes was far too much for Len to handle. The down-to-earth scientist, who had seen his mom die and shed no tears until he was told he couldn't do anything about it, started to cry.

"Why…why did you help me?" He wanted her response to be that she cared for him but she does not yet understand.

"It is in my programming, creator" She looked t him with those cold, lifeless eyes that the scientist could still see something in. Sucking in his emotions he stood up from his bed and made his way to her.

"Good" He was shorter than her but he patted her on the head like a person does to his/her dog. He went to the kitchen and looked through the cabinets. There was one of everything: one fork; one spoon; one bowl; one cup; one plate; one knife. He kept looking through and fount a pail and filled it up with water. He went to go water the sapling and much to his surprise, Rin was there studying it.

"Creator, what is this", she asked. Len started to water it and it seemed to catch her attention too.

"This is your wishing tree, when you want something you ask for it, if you've been patient it will surely come to you" He finished watering the plant and went on his super computer. There was an empty folder named "Kokoro". He opened it. The miracle robot continued to look at it. That entire night, not one of them moved from their spots. The morning however would bring about attempts at a natural heart. They got up early and went directly outside to plant the sapling. It was small but required no support to keep it up. There were maybe two little sakuras on it and they stood still along with the trunk which should be called a stem. It was a beautiful day with the birds flying overhead. The flower patch where they had planted the sapling had just bloomed with life and bees made a rhythmic buzz that soothed the ears of any distracting noises.

"Rin, I want to teach you the happiness' and sadness' of mankind. I want you to be able to sing straight from the heart and not from memory. Can you do that?" He smiled at her. The wind picked up her hair and it looked as if she had just descended from heaven to bring joy to the Earth.

"I will try" Even her soulless eyes could not hinder her beauty. All those days he spent with her near the sakura tree were blessings in his eyes. All the nights he worked on the kokoro(heart) were one step closer to unveiling the miracle robot's true potential. He put all of his feelings into a diary on the super computer. He put his blood and soul into it.

Days turned into months which turned into years. Distress was the only persevering thing that kept the aging scientist going. For him, time was not infinite, one day he would perish like all things do. One day he felt his time coming and saw outside to what was now a full sakura tree. All his life he had spent in his laboratory developing Rin's kokoro, spending time with her, and watching the tree grow as he did. He clutched his heart and started walking to the tree as if to say to his body "okay, okay, I know it is my time".

"Rin, my miracle robot" she came by him, her appearance unchanged after seventy years. He looked at her eyes, the very same he could see himself in.

"Do not ever activate the executable file named "kokoro", I feel it may be too much for you" He smiled and patted her on the head and started for the tree.

"Creator, where are you going" She looked at him for the first time with some form of…well one could say sincerity. He smiled through all of his pain and hugged her.

"I can see myself there, inside your eyes. What does that existence mean to you?" His tears ran through his many wrinkles and filled them up, overflowing; it made him seem to cry more than he actually did.

"Why do you cry, Len" She ignored his last question. She didn't have an answer. He made his way to the growing sakura tree and sat down. Time decided to do what it does best.

Hundreds of years pass, Rin is left all alone with the inheritance of solitude. She keeps looking at the sakura tree like she did countless nights ago. She remembers what her creator said.

"_This is your wishing tree, when you want something you ask for it, if you've been patient it will surely come to you." _Her memory had Len in a picture perfect view of his youth. She then remembered all those nights that he spent on what he called the "kokoro". The miracle robot decided to make a wish.

"I want to know what that person worked on till the end of his life. To make for me, that 'kokoro'" She put her hand on hear heart and closed her eyes waiting patiently. Something made her look back at the laboratory. Hundreds of years had taken its toll on the little house. Wires hung from the ceiling and what once flashed and made "beep" sounds now are desolate and silent. Nothing should have been in working order. Not even running water could be accessed. It can not be explained but the old supercomputer, which by now was outdated, turned on with a pink light.


	4. Chapter 4: The Last Miracle

**Disclaimer:** All characters portrayed are in no way mine. All rights belong to their respective owners.

**Author's** **Note**: As this fanfic comes to close I must say that this was extremely fun to write! I will go on to other works (probably another LenxRin, as was suggested to me) but this along with the song t's based on will have a special place in my "kokoro". Enjoy!

By the way if you haven't heard it by now please listen to Rin and Len's mixed Kokoro. it is the very inspiration of this, after all.

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This super computer had been through hundreds of years of decay. Even machines have an expiration date. But, now, it was flashing pink with the katakana letters spelling "KO KO RO". She reached out to press the "enter button" which couldn't be recognized without its distinctive shape on the keyboard which had all of the letters faded way. She hesitated for a moment but her finger kept going and pressed it.

Now it has begun to move.

"Log entry #1", she couldn't control the liquid running down her eyes and was confused at why she was trembling.

"My creator protected me from death right after I was born. He stepped right into the arms of death, ironically in the form a priest, so that I, a miracle, could continue. I gave him first aid with no intention of doing good. He asked me why." She was on her knees shaking with tears running down her cheeks and on to the rotten and time consumed floor.

"It's not in my programming!" She remembered everything that ever happened with her and Len but in an amazingly different way. She was so angry at herself.

"Why do the tears not stop? Why do I tremble? Is this my desired heart?" She looked back at the sakura tree where they had their first memories together and she ran for it. She stood in the same exact place where she wished for her heart and blushed. She couldn't stop the tears of joy and sadness from her eyes. She picked up the roses as the sakuras fell on her like rain. She finally saw the beauty in all of it. The same rose patch had survived for hundreds of hears as she did. She just kept picking them up and throwing them in the air like a child would. She picked up one and saw something brown-ish underneath the seemingly endless pile of roses. Her face stopped blushing and the tears paused. She uncovered more and more. The miracle robot who felt like nothing could be worse clutched her heart. The tears continued but this time out of sheer terror. The skull of the miracle scientist stared her dead in the eye. She let out a loud scream and huddled up near the trunk of the tree, which by now was very large. Her eyes still held their blue and everlasting beauty. One could see heaven in there while seeing the one's and zero's that made her what she was.

"Now, I've begun to realize the reason I was born. Surely, it's lonely to be by one's self. The pain that man endured for me to respond with 'yes, master'." Her head began to hurt and a system window opened that blocked her vision. She saw the old scientist sitting by the tree taking heavy breaths and clinging to his life, his heart.

"The…the first miracle was that you were born." Rin was shocked. She was looking into the past, seeing her creator's last moments on Earth. Len continued in the video that the miracle robot was looking at through her eyes.

"The second miracle was the time we spent together." She remembered all the times that she didn't respond to him. Even so, he showed her what it meant. She hung on every last word he said.

"The third miracle…has…" He looked at her...directly. How? She acted on impulse and stetched her hand out.

Everything went black. Her heart stopped. Nothing was heard or said. She felt nothing when she was just before feeling everything. The miracle robot heard a voice but very far away. No sense of her body where to be felt and her GPS system read: "?" The voice got louder and more distinctive. She could make out words but still couldn't grasp what was being heard. What was happening? The voice finally made itself loud as an orchestra and clear as a diamond.

"_What does that existence mean to you?"_

"I-it means I'll die…and…b-but I want to live!" She stated with a little hesitation. She came back to reality and heard her system messaging system

"A message is being received; The source: the future!"

A big hole opened up and the scientist, appearing fourteen again bursting out at her with a hug. She fell to the ground where the corpse was missing and looked over to see Len hovering over her.

"You are now awake, Kagakusha Rin." He smiled with all his teeth showing and laughed. She sprang up, hugging him back causing them to lose their balance. She looked across to the other side of the flower patch and saw that Len was on his stomach, resting his head on his hands smiling at her. She blushed like a little school girl.

"Thank you." Her words were soft but sincere. Before the scientist could respond, she began to sing.

_Now I can say true words straight from my heart and to you_

_Arigatou, Arigatou_

_For bringing me into this world and spending time with me_

_Atashi wa anata wo daisuki_

_Arigatou, Arigatou_

_For everything you gave me_

_Arigatou, Arigatou_

_I will sing for eternity_

He grabbed her by the waist and looked her in the eye. He didn't see binary or himself. What he saw was a beautiful girl with a heart of her own. What happened next was magical. (let's try to keep this K+ guys) Two hearts became one. The unity of love, spirit, and soul ignores the fact that they were human and cyborg. They both had a heart, they both have feelings, they both love each other. They sat on the tree's trunk at sundown peacefully sleeping, holding each other's hand. She looked to him. She smiled. No one could have ever been as happy as her in her final moments. You see, the heart, like Len said, was too much for the machine to handle and it shorted out. We still are what we are. However, she passed with a smile on her face. The empty metal shell of a machine that cradled a real heart died with her love. She looked like an angel.

_The first miracle was that she was even brought into this Earth at all._

_The second miracle was the time they spent with each other._

_The third miracle was her heart that she sang her song from._

The fourth miracle…._is not needed._

More often than not, people kill others out of blind madness, jealousy, pride, greed, or just to prove something. Doesn't this contradict what it means to be human? Isn't all life something precious? Whether or not you believe in a God or not, you are still a special person. Even if a million other people exist, you are who you are. War and famine are not what humans are. When children fight and have little quarrels, the "mature" ones stand tall and full of pride saying that they are brainless little things. Yet when we go out on to the battlefield for something that should not be fought over, we are worse. Even though some know this, what drives all through it is none other than our heart. What it means to exist is that someday you will cease to be. Time is finite for everyone so we shouldn't be fighting each other. We must embrace everyone in our lives, not hate them. When the time comes, only the people with regret realize this. In the end, however, what loves, gives, and makes the world go 'round is our hearts.


End file.
